Libraries that participated in the 2023 Statewide Summer Reading Program are required to complete an online Summer Reading Final Evaluation. The deadline has been extended through September 15, 2023.
Each summer, public libraries in Alaska host summer reading programs designed to promote, encourage and support reading. These programs help to mitigate the phenomenon known as the "summer slide" or summer learning loss.
The Alaska State Library sponsors a statewide summer reading program by providing an iRead summer reading resource guide and purchase codes for summer reading materials to each library participating in the statewide program. At the conclusion of the summer reading program, participating libraries complete and submit a summer reading program report and evaluation. The information from evaluations helps the Alaska State Library meet federal grant requirements.
Register for the 2024 Summer Reading Program through October 1, 2023. Contact Valarie Kingsland for more information.
How to Design Your Own Summer Reading Program
1. Decide how to track individual reading.
Will you have readers use a reading log? Will the log track hours, minutes, books, or pages read?
2. Develop reading logs
Here are some Canva templates for reading logs. Be sure to create your own free Canva account and make a copy of the template. Contact Jamie Thill at jamie.thill@alaska.gov for a quick Canva training.
3. Prizes and Incentives
4. Develop fun ways to track community reading
5. Promoting the Summer Reading Program
Here are some ideas for promoting your summer reading program:
6. Summer Reading Kick-Off
Here are some ideas for hosting a Summer Reading Kick-Off event:
7. Ongoing Programming Ideas for SRP
Don't be afraid to tap into your volunteer community. Design programs based on the skills of your volunteers. Here are some other ideas:
"The American Indian Youth Literature Awards (AIYLA) identify and honor the best writing and illustrations by Native Americans and Indigenous peoples of North America. Books selected to receive the award present Indigenous North American peoples in the fullness of their humanity."
Its mission is to diversify and balance bookshelves everywhere, so that all our children can find themselves reflected and celebrated in libraries, schools, and homes across the nation.
Created by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game and designed to used by K-12 teachers the Alaska Wildlife Curriculum includes the following units Alaska's Wetlands and Wildlife, Alaska' Forests and Wildlife, Alaska's Tundra and Wildlife, Alaska's Ecology and Wildlife for the Future and ecology cards.
An online toolkit to expand summer reading to summer learning.
An online resource guide designed to provide librarians with programming ideas, information and resources.
In the STEM Activity Clearinghouse, librarians and library staff can find high quality, vetted STEM activities that are appropriate for library use.
Designed by Alaska teachers to be used as individual lessons or as units.
Alaska's Wild Wonders Magazine
A magazine produced by educators from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game's Wildlife Education program. Each magazine issue is designed to encourage children to learn about the outdoors. Download digital copies of each issue or request a FREE classroom set.
The Project Outcome toolkit provides libraries with FREE access to quick and simple patron surveys, an easy-to-use Survey Portal to collect their outcomes, ready-made reports and visually interactive Data Dashboards for analyzing the data, and various resources to help move libraries from implementing surveys to taking action using the results.
Fun activities designed to get children fired up about math.
Activities that are out of this world!
National non-profit organization focused on closing the achievement gap by investing in summer learning.
Encourages parents to read aloud to their children for 15 minutes every day.
A list of resources and examples for virtual youth programming from public libraries compiled by Erica Melko for WebJunction.
The Space Science Institute’s National Center for Interactive Learning (NCIL) provides interactive STEM exhibits, programming, and training to public libraries nationwide through its Science‐Technology Activities and Resources Library Network (STAR Net)
This project is made possible by a grant from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act.